Straw Dog
by XxSacredDreamsxX
Summary: Hermione wants to overcome her fear of flying in a very irrational way. Song-fic.


Straw Dog  
  
**Summary- Hermione wants to get over her fear of heights in a very irrational way. Songfic.**  
  
**Author's note- Okay, yeah. But I just thought I'd try it since I was listening to the song. The song 'Straw Dog' belongs to Something Corporate. Listen to the song, its great. Well, anyway...I hope you like it. I don't really find most of it to be very Hermione-like, but Krissy says its good, so live with it! xD -Nat**  
  
"So that's why you don't like flying? You're afraid of heights!" Ron exclaimed, laughing. So much for best friends. Of course I've flown before. I flew on a plane with my parents. But at the time I had to keep telling myself to breath in, breath out.  
  
"Hermione, if you want, I can help you get over your fear." Harry suggested. I guess he was trying to make me feel better, but he wasn't helping much.  
  
"No, Harry. It's fine. I can get over this tiny fear of heights on my own." I said this for reassurance, although deep inside, I wasn't all that reassured I could do it. I liked the ground. That's why theres gravity, so people aren't floating about. "Now, if you excuse me, I have lots of studying to get done. So I'm going to the library." I picked up my books and headed for the library. Maybe reading will take my mind off of all this.  
  
A few minutes later, I found myself looking through the Quidditch section. I picked up _Flying for Dummies_ and flipped through it. "No, Hermione." I told myself, putting the book back on the shelf. This shouldn't get to me, it's just a silly fear. _But you're supposed to be good at everything_, I heard a voice inside my head say. I tried to ignore it and sat down at the table closest to the window.  
  
_Staring into the intersection _

_She thinks she can fly _

_and she might Holding on in a new direction _

_She's gonna try it tonight_  
  
I opened my Charms book. "Charms are all in the wrist movements," I read to myself, "just like flying is all in the balance." I stopped. Is it in everything? _No, Hermione. You're just feeling a bit crazy tonight._ I looked out the window, thinking maybe I could accept Harry's offer and learn how to fly. Get over my fear with someone's help.  
  
I noticed a pigeon perched on the window. _Pigeons can fly on their own and you can't even fly without a broom._ This voice was getting to her. Was it her conscience? If it was, consciences are supposed to help you make the right decisions, not drive you to insanity. I must need some sleep because I'm hearing voices in my head that tell me how pathetic I am.  
  
Sleep sounds so good right now. I can deal with everything tomorrow. This is a one time occasion that I'm putting off my homework and it won't happen again, I promised myself. "The sun's so bright. It's a perfect day to learn to fly." I said to myself, as I looked out my dorm room window. I held an old broom in my hand. Glancing down at the broom, I noticed that it didn't look like it could hold me. How old was this thing? The tail of the broom didn't have much left to it and what was left stuck out oddly.  
  
Then I felt Harry's hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry, it'll work. Sure, it's not the newest, but it still flies!" he assured me.  
  
"Why aren't we practicing at the Quidditch Pitch?"  
  
He laughed. "You said you wanted to get over your fear of heights. And your dorm room is pretty high up, 'Mione." Oh, right. Now I remembered. That made a lot of sense. I had the confidence now to do this, and I positioned myself on the broom. "Good luck." He said, backing away.  
  
Once I pushed off, I felt the wind blow past me. I was hovering in the air. This wasn't so bad. This was actually nice. Just then, I noticed I was no longer just hovering, I was declining. No! I was falling faster and faster and—  
  
I awoke just then, out of breath. It was just a dream. Just a dream. I looked around me. Even though it was pitch black in the room, I could feel my sheets twisted around me and the floor underneath.  
  
_The closer I get to feeling _

_The further that I'm feeling alright _

_The more I step into the sun _

_The more I step out of the light_  
  
"Herm, what are you doing on the floor?" A Groggy Lavender asked, her eyes half open.  
  
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up. I had a bad dream and I guess I rolled off the bed." I replied, gathering up my sheets and covers and lying back down on my four-poster bed. I looked back over at Lavender and she was already fast asleep.  
  
I feel tired, but I just can't get back to sleep. A half hour later and my pillow was over my face, as I tried to force myself to sleep. _Maybe I'll take a walk._ After putting my robe and slippers on, I left the dorm and common room quietly.  
  
"Lumos," I whispered. I had forgotten how dark the castle was at night. It was sort of scary without Harry or Ron. I stayed close to the wall, so I knew where I was going.  
  
"Hey, watch it! Don't touch me there!" I almost screamed before I remembered that the paintings talked. "And stop shining that darned light, stupid."  
  
"Whoops, sorry." I dimmed the spell a little bit before I began walking again. Where am I going? _To the Astronomy Tower._ Theres that voice again. I must be going crazy. "I might as well," I whispered to myself and headed off into the direction of the tower. I can just look at the stars. I'm sure that'll calm me down and help me get to sleep.  
  
The door to the Astronomy tower creaked when it was opened, making me wince. I always had hated the sound squeaky doors.  
  
_What does it take to be a superhero in my world?_

_ Make no mistake that these villians _

_Always get the girl_

_ We can escape_  
  
I stuck my head out the window. There was a cool breeze blowing past, making me shiver. I pulled my robe tighter. I pulled out an old note, one I had written to myself as a reminder, 'Return book 1/28'. Letting it go, I watched as it blew away in the wind, fluttering in circles.  
  
_You could be just like that paper, Hermione, floating away in thet breeze._ No. That was dangerous; there was no way that wind could hold me in the air. That's so— ah, who cares anymore.  
  
I can get over my fear of heights easily. So easily. I sat myself on the ledge of the window, letting my slippers fall off and slip away. _Your turn._ Inching myself off the windowsil, I fell.  
  
And for the first time in a while, I felt free.  
  
**Author's Note- I hope you enjoyed it. Oh and please review! Tell me what you actually thought if Hermione was really all that out of character...or whatever you feel like saying. -Nat**


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